Earring



Dec. 19, 1961 D. WEINGREEN 3,013,408

EARRING Filed March 25, 1960 FIG 5 DAVID WEI NGRE EN INVENTO R.

United States Patent EARRING David Weingreen, 640 W. 153rd St., New York 31, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 17,678 1 Claim. (CI. 63-14) This invention relates to improvements in the method of making earrings, particularly, the body portion thereof, which improvements accelerate the manufacture of said earrings, resulting in the lowering of the cost of manufacturing such items as well as resulting in an article which remains steadfastly on the lobe of the ear of the wearer without exerting undue pressure thereon or necessitating piercing thereof.

In the prior art, earrings for unpierced ears have depended upon a screw pressure mechanism to secure the earring to the lobe of the ear of the wearer. This requires that the screw member be engaged tightly against the lobe causing discomfort to the wearer. If not enough pressure is applied against the lobe, the earring'will fall. Additionally, the necessity of threading the earring base and of fitting the same with a screw member is a slow, expensive and laborious process.

The main object of the invention then is to provide an earring having novel ear lobe-gripping means of the nonscrew type.

Other objects and advantages of the invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment thereof.

In the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an earring in accord with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the earring showing the gripping means thereof in closed position, parts being broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the gripping means in open position.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevation view of the gripping means shown on FIGURE 3. 7

FIG. is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, in FIG. 1 an earring made in accordance with the invention is illustrated and designated generally by the numeral 10. The earring 10 is formed of a narrow plated metal bar, channelshaped in configuration and U-shaped in cross section and comprises a substantially U-shaped body 12 constituted by a long arm 14, a short arm 15 joined by a curved base or bight portion 17. The channel extends the length of the body. The base or bight portion 17 is adapted to engage under the lobe and the inner surface of the long arm 14 is adapted to engage against the outer surface of the lobe of the ear of the wearer. A dish-shaped member 16 with a corrugated edge forming petals 19 of a blossom or flower and with a central pistil-like round bar 40 is soldered or otherwise securedto the top end of the long arm 14 and opens outwardly. The outer or rear surface of the base of the member 16 is corrugated or roughened as indicated at 30.

At the top free end of the short arm 15, mechanism generally indicated at 18 is provided for clamping the earring 10 onto the lobe of the ear of the wearer. This clamping mechanism comprises a thin oval-shaped plate 28 transversely curved and corrugated or roughened on its inner surface as indicated at 29. The plate has a narrow extension 31 at one end disposed in the channel 20 in the short arm 15. The extension is formed with a transverse opening to receive a pivot pin 26 journalled in opposed holes in the sides of the short arm 15 so that the plate 28 is adapted to pivot on the pin 26 and to move toward and away from the long arm 14. An elongated 3,013,408 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 spring bar 22 is positioned in the channel 20 in the long arm 14 and short arm 15, with one end 24 anchored and fixed to the long arm adjacent the member 16. The other free end of the spring bar 22 projects outwardly of the short arm and presses against the plate 28 at its juncture with the extension 31 thereby urging the clamping plate 28 away from the long arm 14. A pair of opposed ears 19 are formed on the short arm 15 opposite the pin 26 in order to guide the spring bar 22.

Actuating and locking mechanism is provided for moving and locking the clamping plate 28 in moved position. This mechanism includes an elongated metal bar 32 formed with a spherical knob or finger piece 36 at one end. The other end of the bar is enlarged as indicated at 42 and provided with a square inner corner 43 and a curved outer corner 44. The short arm 15 is formed with a round bifurcated end, the bifurcations 46 being formed with opposed holes to receive a pivot pin 34 extending through the enlarged end 42 of the bar 32 adjacent the outer curved corner 44. This positioning of the pivot pin 34 permits the square corner 43 to be swung against the clamping plate 28 to force the plate against the lobe of the ear of the wearer. It will be noted that the pivot point 34 of the bar 32 is disposed at the outermost side of the bifurcations 46 of the short arm 15 and outwardly of the pivot point 26 of the plate 28 and above the plane of the pivot point 26 so that when the bar 32 is swung inwardly past dead center of the pivot point 34 it will be locked against outward swinging movement and the force of the spring bar 22 will be exerted on the bar 32 along a line defined by the center of the knob 36 and the center of the pivot pin 34 and not laterally of the bar 32 so as to turn the bar.

A ring or eyelet 38 may be secured to the outer surface of the long arm 14 adjacent its top end with the body of the ring disposed in the vertical plane of the arm to enable the earring to be suspended or otherwise supported.

It is obvious that the disclosed novel type of earring dispenses with the necessity of using any separate screw arrangement and possesses the other advantages above set forth.

It is understood that this invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom Without departing from the spirit;

and scope of the claim.

I claim:

An earring comprising a channel-shaped bar bent in substantially U-shape with a long arm, a short arm and a bight portion therebetween, said short arm having a bifurcated free end, a dish-shaped member fixed on the free end of the long arm constituting an ornament, said member opening outwardly and having the inner surface of its base corrugated, a curved clamping plate having one end pivoted to the short arm inwardly of its bifurcated end, a surface of the clamping plate being located generally opposite the inner surface of the base of the ornament and being corrugated, a leaf spring mounted in the channel of said channel-shaped bar, said spring having a free end projecting from said channel inwardly of and over the pivot point of said clamping plate and bearing against said clamping plate at a position above said clamping plate pivot point; a curved actuating and locking bar pivoted to adjacent one of its ends to the locking bar having a camming edge for contacting said clamping plate above its pivot point whereby movement of the actuating and locking, bar inwardly of its pivot point earns the clamping bar inwardly to clamping position, means for locking said clamping bar and said ac- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Patten June 18, 1907 Sturn et al Dec. 17, 1907 Vidal Feb. 26, 1935 

